Method and apparatus for separating air from liquids



March 24, 1931. w 5 ELLIOTT 1,797,405

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPAPATTNG AIR FROM LIQUIDS Filed 1925 2 Sheets-She t 1 March 24, 1931.

W. S. ELLIOTT METHOD AND APE'ARA'IUS FOR SEPARATING AIR FROM LIQUIDS Filed Feb. 17, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 WILLIAM B. ELLIOTT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AIR FROM LIQUIDS Application filed February 17, 1923. Serial No. 619,665.

The present invention relates broadly to the treatment of liquids for the removal of air therefrom, together with the removal of other gases of a nature causing corrosion or other objectionable results.

At the present time, it is customary in the art to which this invention relates to attempt removal of air and other gases by boiling for predetermined periods, or, as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,321,999 of November 18, 1919, to effect the release of air and gases by an expansion of the water thereby causing the more or less instantaneous release due to evaporation of a definite amount 1., of the water being treated of the air and gas. The first method has been found objectionable due to the long heating period required and the uncertainty of the results obtained. In some cases it is not desirable to maintain differences in temperature such as best suited for the instantaneous release of the air.

By the pre ent invention there is provided a modified form of deaerating apparatus operating on a different principle whereby the advantageous results 0 both ofthe present methods are obtained Without the accomanying disadvantages, permitting water aving zero oxygen to be uniformly secured. In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for pur oses of illustration only one embodiment o the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of m invention and that 1 changes may be made in the construction and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, some what diagrammatic, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view onthe line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view representing an end elevation of the condenser constituting part of the deaerating apparatus;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale of one of the steam supply nozles. and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 4.

In carrying out the present invention there may be provided apparatus of suitable construction preferably comprising a heating chamber 2 and a receiver 3. Communicating with the chamber 2 is a supply connection 4: throu h which the liquid to be treated is initia ly supplied to a distributing box 5. From this box the liquid overflows onto a series of agitating and distributin pans 6 over which it flows in cascade for e fectively breaking up and a itating the liquid during its passage through the vapor space in the heating chamber.

The heating chamber may be heated in any desired manner, as by free steam supplied thereto through a connection 7. This connection may, if desired, be automatically controlled by a thermostatic valve 8 adapted to be operated by a thermostat 9 within the chamber 2. It will be apparent that in this chamber the steam is brought into intimate contact with the liquid in its divided condition whereby there is secured an eflicient heat interchange.

This preliminary heating of the liquid causes the release of some of its contained air and gases, the amount of air and gases so released depending upon temperature conditions within the heating chamber. This chamber may be provided with a vent 11 preventing the same from becoming air-bound and permitting the escape of air, gases and vapor, whereb the desired vapor tension conditions wit iin the heating chamber are constantly maintained.

From the heating chamber 2 the heated liquid is adapted to pass throng};l a controlling valve 12 to the receiver. is valve is a0 so located as to always maintain a water seal between the heating chamber and the receiver, and may be adjustably controlled by means of a spring 13 permitting the pressure at which the valve opens to be varied as ma be desired. The liquid passing the valve 12 ows in cascade over the agitating and distributing pans 14 positioned within the vapor space in the reservoir 3.

The desired levels may be maintained in the respective chambers 2 and 3 by a float-operated valve 15 in the inlet connection 4 and controlled by a suitable float 16 in the casing 17. By reason of its construction, it will be apparent that as the liquid level in the reser- V011 3 lowers, additional liquid will be supplied to the heating chamber. This in turn will cause an increase of heat Within the heatin chamber for opening the valve 12.

ated at some suitable point within the receiver is a steam manifold 18 having a series of laterally extending branches 19. Each of these branches supplies steam nozzles 20 located below the level of the liquid within the receiving chamber. These nozzles may be of the construction illustrated in detail in Figures 4 and 5 comprising upwardly d scharging steam openings 21 enclosed within a bell 22. This discharge of steam through the 0 nings 21 causes liquid to be suclred upward y through the passages 23 and into 1ntimate contact with the escaping steam. TlllS causes a violent ebullition to take place on the surface of the liquid in the receiver, WhlCl'l further breaks up the liquid and causes the release of any remaining air and gases therefrom. The temperature conditions within the receiver may be automatically controlled by providing the manifold with a valve, Sll'nllar to the valve 8 and adapted to be controlled by the thermostat 10.

For withdrawing the vapor, air and gases from the vapor space within the receiver, and for maintainin the desired temperature and pressure conditions therein, there may be provided, in combination with the thermostatically controlled valves, a condenser 24 having a communication with the vapor; space of the receiver and having a cooperating ejector 26. The connection 25 has an area sufiicient to convey from the receiver an amount of vapor and gases at least substantially equal to the amount of steam supplied to the receiver through the manifold 18. Within the condenser, the condensible vapors are condensed and returned by suitable connection 27 to the receiver. The non-condensible content is then withdrawn through the ejector 26. It will be apparent that the vapor and gases withdrawn throu h the connection 25 contain a considerab e amount of heat. This heat may be conveniently recovered by passing the cooling liquid through the condenser from the inlet 28 to the outlet 29 and then connecting the outlet by suitable piping to the inlet connection 4. In this manner, the heat released within the receiver will be effective for preheating the liquid supplied to the heating chamber.

For withdrawing the liquid as it may be required from the receiver 3, there may be provided a service connection 30. It will e apparent that the passage of liquid through the service connection will be in accordance with the demands on the apparatus and that such demands will, in turn, determine the amount of liquid and heat supplied to the apparatus. In some cases the demands through the service connection 30 may be so heavy that it is impossible to maintain the desired liquid level in the receiver by the volume of liquid passing the controlling valve 12. To compensate for this tendency, there is provided a supplementary connection 31 between the heating chamber and the receiver. Within this connection is a float-operated valve 32 controlled by a suitable float'34 within the casin 33 in communication with the receiver. 11 case the liquid level within the receiver should drop below a predetermined amount, the float operated valve 32 will be opened to permit the passage of supplementary liquid from the heating chamber to the receiver. It is desirable that the float 34: shall be effective for preventing the liquid level from ever falling below the outlets from the nozzles 20.

The use of dcacrated water for industrial purposes requires that the deaerating apparatus be provided with means for delivering deaerated liquids at difi'erent temperatures. For example, in some cases it is desirable to supply deaerated water to economizers at temperatures as low as 135 F while in other cases it.is necessary that the Water be supplied at temperatures as high as 210 F. In pipe systems handling hot water in buildings, the temperature has been found to be in the neighborhood of 165 F. For other manufacturing systems and purposes other definite temperatures are required.

With the apparatus disclosed herein, the control of the temperature of the delivered liquid is made quite easy. The temperature of this liquid may be controlled by varying the amount of heat supplied to the heating chamber and maintaining temperature and pressure conditions within the heating chamber and the receiver which are substantially equal, or by maintaining any desired temperature within the heating chamber and operating the condenser and ejector in such manner as to maintain different temperature and pressure conditions within the receiver. In still other cases, the condenser and ejector may be entirely omitted and the receiver permitted to discharge vapors and gases i ctly to the atmosphere.

In actual operation it has been found that where a definite temperature is maintained lot withinth'e heatingchamber, the liquid passed at this temperature to the receiver, and a corresponding temperature maintained in the receiver, the heat released in the receiver will so arate substantially all of the air from t e liquid It will be apparent that under these conditions the temperature of the steam supplied to the manifold 18 must be'higher than the temperature within the receiver by an amount at least sufficient to overcome the static head of the liquid in the receiver above the nozzles 20.

For example, if a temperature of 175 F. is maintained in the heating chamber, a boiling temperature which will be equivalent to a vacuum of 16.33 inches of mercury, may be maintained within the receiver b t e proper operation of the condenseran ejector or other form of withdrawing means. If a tem er'ature of 210 F. is r uired within the receiver, the temperature in t e heating chamber may still be maintained at 175 F. and the vacuum in the condenser reduced to zero or the vapors from the receiver rmitted to discharge directly to the atmosp ere. Under such conditions, the steam supplied by the manifold 18 combined with the exchange of heat between that steam and the liquid will provide a sufficient amount of vapor to raise the temperature of the liquid assingbver the pans 14 to 210 F. These di erences in ressure between the heating chamber'an the receiver are made ossible in the resent case by the use of t e adjustable spring on the controlling valve 12 and the proper operation" of the condenser and ejector.

It is highly desirable that the amount of steam supplied through the manifold 18 be sufiicient to change the phase of the liquids and vapors contained within the'receiver to cause substantiall complete separatiohof the" liquid and air. e amount of heat in the steam so supplied should not less than the amount equivalent to that required to evapo-v rate not less than 1% of the total volume of the li aid as it passes through the receiver 3 a at it oiling point. Also the capacity of the air connection 25 should b e sufficient to convey from the receiverall of the air, gases and vapors released within the receiver.

The advantages of the resent invention arise from the revision 0 a' liquid treating apparatus in w ich the liquid is successively heated in such manner that the control of the :emgerature of the delivered liquid is faciliate Further advantages arise from the provision of means for successively heating a given body of liquid under definite temperature and pressure conditions whereby all of the air may be eifectively removed therefrom.

The foregoing results are accomplished in a highly satisfactory manner by an apparatus such as is disclosed in the drawings and described in the specification, but it will be ohvious that many changes within the scope of the following claims may be made w thout destroying the usefulness of the lnvention.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, means for continuou'sly .supplym heat to said chamber m the amount require to maintain the desired tem 'eratureconditions therein irres ctive of t e volume of liquid being treate a receiver, means for delivering liquid first tosaid heating chamber and then to said receiver, and means for supplyin heat to said receiver to the amount r aim to maintain a deaerating atmosphere t erein.

2. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, a source of heat therefor, means for automatically continuouslycontrolling the amount of heat supplied to said heating chamber irrespective of the amount of liquid being treated, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber and then to saidreceiver, and means for supplyin heat to said receiver in the amount require to change the phase of the liquid supplied thereto from the heating chamber.

3. In an apparatus for separating air from ,liquids, a heating chamber, a source of heat therefor, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber and then to said receiver means automatically continuously controlling the amount of heat supplied to said heating chamber, and means for supplying heat to said receiver to uniformly change the phase of the liquidsupplied thereto by the heating chamberr a 4. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, means continuously controlling the amount of heat supplied to said chamber in accordance with the supply of liquid and irrespective of the volume, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber and then to said receiver, and means for sup lyin heat to said receiver below the level 0? the quid therein to violently agitate said liquid and maintain within the receiver a deaerating atmosphere.

5. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, a receiver, means for suppl ing liguid successively to said heating cham er an said receiver, means for continuously maintaining predetermined condisupplying supplemental heat to permitting the passage of liquid under predetermined conditions from said heating chamber to said receiver, and means for separately heating both the heating chamber and the receiver.

7. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, a receiver, a spring-controlled valve between said heating chamber and said receiver, means for supplying liquid to said heating chamber, said valve permitting the passa e of liquid underpredetermin ed conditions roin said heating chamber to said receiver, and means for separately heating both the heating chamber and the receiver, the heating means for said receiver supplying heatto the liquid therein below the liquid level.

8. In the method of separating air from liquids, the steps consisting in heating the liquid in one chamber, deliverin the heated liquid to asecond chamber, and supplying additional heat to the uid in the second chamber below the level 0 the liquid therein and in accordance with the amount of liquid being treated to continuously change the phase of a definite percentage of said li uid.

9. In the method of separating air rom liquids, the steps consisting in heating the liquid in one chamber, delivering the heated liquid to a second chamber, maintaining sinnlar temperature conditions in both of said chambers and supplying additional heat to the liquid in the second chamber below the level of the liquid therein.

10. In the method of separating air from liquids, the steps consisting in unif ormly heatin the liquid in one chamber by 1nducing a ow of heating steam thereinto n proportion to the work being done, delivering the heated liquid to a second chamber, supplying free steam to the liquid in the second chamber below the level of the liquid therein, and permitting the escape of vapors and gases from the second chamber in an amount suflicient to produce a constant evaporation of the li uid at its boiling point.

11. n the method of separating air from liquids, the steps consisting in heatingall of the liquid in one chamber, maintaining predetermined temperature condit ons in said chamber, delivering the heated liquid at said temperature to a second chamber, and supplyin steam to the liquid in the second chamberielow the liquid level therein, and at a temperature and pressure such as to overcome the static head of the liquid in the second chamber, and maintain therein a total vapor pressure with a partial air ressure low enough to insure deaera'tion o the liquid therein.

12. In the method of separating air from liquids, the steps consist1ng 1n supplying heated liquid to a receiver, mainta ning definite temperature conditions within the receiver, and supplying free steam to the liquid in the receiver at a point below the levelof the liquid therein, and at a temperature and pressure such as to overcome the static head of the liquid in the receiver, and maintain in the receiver a total vapor pressure with a. partial air pressure low enough to insure deaeration ofthe liquid in the receiver.

13. Apparatus for deaeratin water comprising in combination a closed c amber, having a water outlet and an air outlet, means for supplying water to be deaerated to said chamber to maintain a body of water therein partially filling the chamber, and means for scrubbing said body of water with steam, including provisions for injecting steam into the water and provisions whereby the steam injected into the water will set up a directed circulation of said body of water along a path of flow closed upon itself.

14. Apparatus for deaerating water comprising in combination a closed chamber provided with an air outlet and a water outlet, means automatically responsive to the amount of water in said chamber for supplying Water to be deaerated to said chamber as required to maintain a body of water therein partially filling the chamber, and means for scrubbing and circulating said body of water comprising a steam jet pump.

15. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, a source of heat therefor, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber and then to said receiver, means controlling the pressure at which the liquid passes to the receiver, and means for supplying heat to said receiver in the amount required to change the phase of the liquid supplied thereto from the heating chamber.

16. In an apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber, a source of heat therefor, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamberv and then to said receiver, means for supplying heat to said receiver in the amount required to change the phase of the li uid sup lied thereto from the heating cham ber, and a supplemental means for passing liquid from the heating chamber to said receiver.

17. In apparatus for separating air from liquids, a heating chamber having a single source of heat, means for continuously supplying from said source to said chamber heat in the amount required to continuously maintain the desired temperature conditions therein, irrespective of the volume of liquid being treated, a receiver, means for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber and then to said receiver, and means for supplying heat to said receiver to the amount required to continuously maintain a deaerating atmosphere therein.

1.8, In a paratus for separating air from liquids, a eating chamber having the same source of heat at all times, means for automatically continuousl controlling theamount of heat supplied to said heating chamber from said source, a receiver means 5 for delivering liquid first to said heating chamber, and then to said receiver, and means for continuously supplying heat to said receiver in the amount required to maintain deaerating conditions therein.

10 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT source of heat at all times, means for automatically continuously controllmg theamount of heat supphed to said heatlng chamber from said source, a recerver meens 5 for delivering liquid first to sand heatmg chamber, and then to said receiver, and 1 neans for continuously supplying heat to sa d receiver in the amount required to maintain deaerating conditions therein.

10 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set h d. my an WILLIAM s. ELLIOTT.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,797,405. Granted March 24, 1931. to

WILLIAM s. ELLIOTT.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, claim 10, strike out lines 43 to 46, ihciusive, and insert instead "in an amount sufficient to pro duce a constant evaporation of the liquid at its boiling point, and permitting the escape of vapors and gases from the second chambcr."; and that the said Letters Patent should oe-read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore. (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,797,405. Granted March 24, N31, to

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, claim 10, strike out lines 43 to 46, inclusive, and insert instead "in an amount sufficient to produce a constant evaporation of the liquid at its boiling point, and permitting the escape of vapors and gases from the second chamber."; and that the said Letters Patent should he-read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, A. D. i931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

